The Art of Fighting

MARTINSBURG – Youth mixed martial arts could be construed in many negative ways, but the students and instructors at Elite Martial Arts and MMA show the world a different side of the sport. As the young athletes run around the gym and grapple on the floor, their big smiles prove just how fun MMA can be.

Xander Schleicher, 7, takes both karate and MMA classes at Elite and said he has a lot of fun running around and jumping on his partners.

Owner Jesse Kirby sees how much MMA benefits the children he teaches.

“It’s definitely fun for them, and they learn something while exercising,” he said.

An average class has about 12 students who are proving just about any stereotype about MMA wrong.

“We don’t go home with black eyes every night,” Jesse said. “It helps a lot with what not to do with being bullied. A last resort would be just to defend yourself.”

The instructors teach the youngsters safety on the mat: how to keep everyone from getting hurt and when to stop moves. The program works on the fundamentals of MMA – karate, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and muay thai – so that any fighter continuing in MMA will have skills to use for years to come.

Jadyn Southard, 11, enjoys getting on the mat and learning a lot of different techniques, including self-defense, fighting and grappling. She hopes to continue with MMA and com”I just saw it and started liking it,” said Southard on how she got interested in the sport.

Southard was one of a few girls in the class, honing their skills and proving to be just as tough as the boys.

Many of the parents and kids want to be involved with the sport for years to come, and soon, some of the young Elite fighters will start in competitions. Jesse hopes to have three or four youth fighters competing soon.

Youth competitions have modified rules and a lot of protective gear, making it safer than the competitions seen on TV.

As the youngsters of Elite scatter after a Saturday morning full of lessons, they excitedly talk about what they’ve learned with big hopes for the future.